Caterpillar 3196 Piston, Got Rust?

[Storm]

This is what the crown of a Caterpillar 3196 piston looks like after the engine ingests seawater through a leaky aftercooler:

[Big Fish Billy]

Hey buddy,

Consider yourself lucky if you didn't warp the head in the deal...a friend of mine had a 3206 in his Duffy and warped it every year I knew him......

[Banshee]

WHAT DID THE CYLINDER WALLS LOOK LIKE? Sorry not yelling. I am curious what is the maintence schedule on the cat aftercoolers?
JW

[codfishshark]

Storm,
is this the same engine that has been kicking your ass for the last couple years??

[Avenger]

Consider yourself lucky if you didn't warp the head in the deal...a friend of mine had a 3206 in his Duffy and warped it every year I knew him......

Whatinthehell's a 3206?

[Big Fish Billy]

10 cc's bigger that a 3196...same ting......

[Storm]

How did I miss all this response to my thread? Let's see, yeah, the same engine that has been kicking me in the ass for the last nine years. - hence the big pain in my ass.

Yeah, the cylinder head typically needs to be replaced. Not beacuse of warpage but because seawater ingestion corrodes the valve seats and stems. Seawater has to pass through the valves to get to the cylinders.

After replacing the rusted, broken piston and aftercooler, lube oil continues to leak out of the dipstick tube and various grommets and seals - indicating excess base pressure. The engine needs to be removed AGAIN, in order to install five more cylinder packs and a cylinder head. To date, I've lost three months from my fishing business because of this repair. I've had to take personal loans to cover the expense.

According to the terms of my insurance policy, the company is supposed to pay for damage to my engine caused by a "latent defect". The insurance company and the insurance company's surveyor agreed with my assessment that the aftercooler was defective. I have this in writing from the insurance company. I submitted a claim to the insurance company for approximately $6,600 for the initial repair. The company has offered me about $1,400 after adjustments. The company won't pay for the $3,3000 aftercooler and I have a $1,500 deductible. I'm currently trying to get the company to pay for the additional repairs needed since I paid for almost all of the initial repair. Suddenly the age of the engine has become a consideration, even though all of the damaged parts are only three-years old. They were replaced during a 2006 overhaul for the same problem. As it turns out, the insurance company should have paid me for the 2006 repair. I suspect the insurance company will try to find any way it can to weasel out from underneath its obligation. The company doesn't have any problem collecting my premium every month - no matter how old my boat is.

Where is Caterpillar in all this? Milton Caterpillar finally sent two technicians to my boat to inspect the engine and collect data. All the technicians appeared to be concerned with was collecting data in order to find some way to place the blame on me for Caterpillar's defective product. Neither the local service department (Milton Cat) nor Caterpillar has offered any assistance with my long-standing engine problem. Milton Cat did offer me a replacement aftercooler after I threw a fit at the local service department. Here's the kicker; the aftercooler was offered to me with strings attached. I had to sign a release from any claims. This would have been finanicial suicide. It was akin to asking me to jump off the nearest bridge in exchange for a replacement aftercooler. Caterpillar should replace its defective parts as a matter of company policy - with no strings attached. This is how companies that act with integrity operate.

Storm

[Storm]

I never actually inspected the cylinder liners. The mechanic's shop is quite a haul (several hours from my house). The liner for the one cylinder pack that was replaced was obviously scored and rusted. Insurance adjuster and Milton Cat technician took pictures of the liner.

Caterpillar's maintenance schedule requires removal, testing, cleaning, and reinstallation of the aftercooler every 1,000 service hours or approximately 10,800 gallons of fuel. Caterpilar claims this is no major intrusion of the engine but I disagree. Cost to remove and reinstall the aftercooler includes $250 for the gasket set and approximately four hours or more (depending on the situation) for labor. As you know, Cat technicians are not cheap. Total cost can run about $800 for this routine maintenance.

From what I understand, the dent on the piston was caused when I repeatedly tried to start the hydrolocked engine. Apparently a ring was hung up. Milton Cat's service supervisor accused me of hitting the piston with a hammer. This is what I have to deal with for customer support when my engine breaks.

Storm